Swing-door control mechanism



May 29, 1951 R. G. PoLsoN 2,554,540

` SWING DooR CONTROL MECHANISM Filed sept. s, 194e INVENTOR Rober G. Palson BY MWL ATTORNE' Patented May 29,. 1951 SWING-Doos CONTROL MECHANISM Robert G. Polson, Stockton, Calif., assigner of one-third to J. Myron Carr, Stockton, Calif.

Application September 3, 1946, Serial No. 694,512

1 Claim.

This invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a swing-door control mechanism; said mechanism being operative to normally maintain the door closed by spring means, but permitting the door to be swung to open position in either direction and automatically but relcasably latched in said position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a swing-door control mechanism which is neat in appearance and easy to install, and does not require the cutting out of a corner section of the door, as is necessary with conventional devices for the purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swing-door control mechanism which is positive, smooth, and noiseless in operation; the structure being simple but rugged and thus not subject to becoming out of order.

A further objection of the invention is to provide a practical swing-door control mechanism, and one which will be eiiective for the purpose` for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means oi such structure and relative arrangement of partj as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingl specification and claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a door mounted by means of the improved swing-door control mechanism.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of the mechanism with the base plate removed.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the swing door control mechanism is here shown as mount ed between the oor I and the lower inner cor ner 2 of a swing door 3.

Below the corner 2 of the door 3 the floor recessed or socketed, as at 4, and the mechanism depends mainly in said socket and comprises the following:

A rectangular base plate 5 is seated on the floor I of the socket 4, being secured to the iioor by screws which pass through holes 6 in the corners of said base plate.

A rigid case I is fixed to the under side of' the base plate 5 by screws 8, and depends into the floor socket 4.

A horizontal rotary crosshead 9 is disposed in the case l, and includes an upwardly projecting spindle IIJ which extends in turnable and guided or journalled relation through the base plate 5. Above the base plate 5 the spindle II) is formed with an upper end portion I I of non-circular con figuration, here square. Said non-circular upper end portion I I of the spindle removably seats in a matching hole of a bearing plate I 2 countersunk in the lower edge of the door at the corner 2. It will thus be seen that upon swinging of the door in one direction or the other from a nor-Y mally closed position, corresponding rotary motion will be imparted to the crosshead 9 within the case l.

A thrust washer I3 surrounds the spindle portion ii between the bearing plate I2 and the top of the base plate 5, in supporting relation to the door, but permitting of non-binding swinging thereof.

The crosshead 9 is formed with an axial bore I4 therethrough, and plungers I5 are slidably disposed in the bore I4 in axial alinement; adjacent ends of said plungers `being sockcted, and a compression spring S being seated in said sockets and extending between the plungers, whereby to simultaneously urge the same axially outwardly in opposite directions.

At their outer ends the plungers I5 are tted with non-friction rollers I6 which constantly ride on a horizontal elliptical track I1 formed internally in the case 'I on the sidewalls thereof, and being continuous. This elliptical track I'I is disposed Wlth its major axis parallel to the door in its closed position.

The elliptical track I'I is formed with roller receiving depressions or notches disposed 90 apart, with one pair I8 in alinernent parallel to the closed position of the door, and another pair I9 in alinement parallel to the open position of the door.-

By reason of the spring pressure on the plungers I5, and the elliptical configuration of the track Il', said spring pressed plungers normally tend to assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, so as to maintain the door 3 in closed position. Thus, the rollers I6 normally but releasably seat in the notches I8.

With the described arrangement the door can be swung in either direction with ease; the door control mechanism thereafter functioning positively but smoothly and easily to return the door to closed position, unless the door is swung open sufficient that the rollers I5 engage in the notches I9. When the rollers engage in said notches I9, the door is releasably held in open position in one direction or the other.

While the swing door control mechanism is here shown as embodied in a floor socket, it could 3 of course be at the top of the door and socketed into the header.

At the end of the door opposite the described control mechanism (here, at the top of the door), the latter is pivoted in alinement with the spindle l0 by means of another spindle 20 mounted onv the door and running in a bearing plate 2| in the adjacent portion of the door frame. The spindle 26 includes a crosshead 22 threaded on an adjustment screw 23, turnably but axially immovably carried in an angle plate 24 xed to the adjacent door corner. By reason of this adjustment the spindle 20 can be alined with the spindle i6 for proper swinging of the door 3.

From the foregoing description it Will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fuliills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specicat-ion sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as dened by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

A control mechanism for a swing door comprising, a vertical spindle adapted to be nonturnably connected to and project from one horizontal edge of the door, a case having a horizontal elliptical track formed therein, said case being adapted to be secured on a fixed structure adjacent but vertically spaced from said edge of the door, and so that the axis of the spindle is disposed centrally of the track, an enlarged head on the spindle Within the case, the latter including a cover plate through which the spindle projects in turnably guided relation, the head having a bore extending therethrough diametrally of the spindle, plungers slidable in the bore and having track engaging elements on their outer end, the plungers having sockets open to their inner end, and a compression spring in the sockets extending between and bearing against the bottom thereof.

ROBERT G. POLSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 487,476 Faulhaber et al. Dec. 6, 1892 654,400 Keene July 24, 1900 931,715 Austin Aug. 24, 1909 1,479,413 Hedman Jan. 1, 1924 2,369,601 Patterson Feb. 13, 1945 2,413,475 Walts Dec. 31, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 112,703 Australia Mar. 20, 1941 422,238 France Mar. 16, 1911 489,535 Germany Jan. 20, 1930 

